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About Bennett and his classes

By Hannah Grover The Daily Times

Updated:
03/27/2013 06:08:14 PM MDT

Jon Austria/The Daily Times
San Juan College photography instructor, Tony Bennett and his student Brenda Porras admire one of Porras' photos hanging along the walls of San Juan College on Thursday, March 21.

FARMINGTON — Even today, when Tony Bennett talks to members of the Dallas Cowboys, he jokes that he was their good luck charm.

During the 1990s, Bennett was a photographer for the Cowboys and traveled the world with them. The Cowboys won three Superbowls while he was working for them.

He didn't shoot pictures of the Cowboys. Instead, he would photograph the people attending the games.

"Photography can open doors for you to do things you'd never get a chance to do," he said.

Now, Bennett teaches photography at San Juan College. He teaches both black and white film and digital photography.

For the digital photography class, Bennett said his only requirement is that students have a camera with a manual setting on it.

Jessica Curley, one of his students, said it isn't the camera that makes a picture good. A good photographer can take a good picture using any camera.

"There are certain people who just see it," Bennett said, pointing out a picture by his student, Brenda Porras. The picture shows a marble rolling across the floor. While the marble is in focus, the floor is blurred.

In addition to taking pictures for the Dallas Cowboys, Bennett has taken commercial photos for Dr. Pepper and once had a chance to photograph Nelson Mandela.

"How often would a kid from Farmington get to spend an afternoon with Nelson Mandela?" Bennett said.